Clench or expansion nail



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

EDWIN C. ROYER AND BERNARD J. BOYLE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLENCH OR EXPANSION NAIL.

Application filed September 20. 1919.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

13e it known that we, lnwix C. ROYER and BERNARD J. BoYLE, citizens of the United States, residing` at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clench or Expansion Nails` of which the following is a specifica- `tion.

(lne object of our invention is to provide an improved clench or expansion nail which can be used for quickly securing pieces of metal or other mateiial togetliei or which can be used as a cotter pin or ordinary ex- 15 pansion nail.

tion that when placed in position it will pre-- sent a smooth continuous headfree of any objectionable projections.

A still further object is to make our iiivention of a simple and durable construction and so that it can be quickly and cheaply manufactured.

These objects. and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, we attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved clencli oi expansion nail, s

Fig. 2 is a view showing how our iin- 'proved nail can be inserted through registering holes of two pieces of metal, and

Fig. 3 shows a view of similar nature to Fig. 2, the nail having been struck in such manner as to spread the inner portion thereof to Isecurely bind said pieces of metal together.

Referring to the drawings, our improved nail consists of a continuous piece of strip metal which is bent to provide a looped head 4. The portions leading from the head are folded upon themselves, as shown at 5, to produce tines or prongs; the folding being such that the end portions 6 are positioned between the other portions 7, said end portions extending into the looped head 4 and are normally positioned within a recess 8 included in said looped head 4. rl`he looped head 4 provides shoulder portions 9 which are adapted to engage the outer surface .of any material through which the nail is inserted, such for example as the outer surface 10 of the piece of metal 11, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be noted that the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Serial No. 325,113.

recess 8 is formed by a hump or projection 1;), which is centrally located in aliiienieiit with the portions G. rl`hus when the nail is inserted tliioiigh the holes 13 and 14 of the pieces of metal 11 and 15, as shown in Fig. 2 and the head is struck by a hammer, the end portions (S will be pushed longitudinally by engagement with the looped head l and in so doing will bend the portions T, as shown in Fig. 3, to spread` said portions 7 and thereby clamp the pieces of metal 11 and 15 together; it being further noted that the portions will also assume a spread position. By providing the continuous looped head et, the extreme ends of the end portions 6 will always be positioned within the con fines of the looped head l so that they will not project or be exposed when thel nail is in securing position. Furthermore by providing the recess, the extreme. ends of the portions (5 will be held in central aliiieinent during the liaiiimeiiiig action and therefore the tines or prongs will expand evenly in opposite directions. .\t the same time the recess provides a comparatively great space be tween the hump portion 12 and the shoulder portion E), so that the end portions 6 can be moved a sufiicient distance inward to cause a. wide expansion of the tines or prongs.

lVhile we have described our invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of our invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence we do not limit ourselves to the precise construction set forth, but consider that we are at liberty to 2. A nail of the characterdescribed in-4 cluding a looped head and tines projecting therefrom, said tines being folded and having their end portions extending into said looped head, said looped head having a recess in alinement with said end portions; substantially as described.

3. A nail of the character described including a looped head and tines projecting therefrom, said tines being folded and having their end portions extending into said looped head, said looped head having a recess in alinement with said end portions and 5 into Which the ends of said end portions eX- tend; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence o two subscribing Wltnesses.

EDWIN C. ROYER. BERNARD J. BOYLE. Witnesses:

ANNA BENTON, CHAS. E. Por'rs. 

